News 170: Occupy Wall Street

Momentum for Occupy Wall Street has been building upon itself for years now as the public becomes informed of how this society is run, how this system really works: realizations that the elite 1% of the United States now own 42% of the country's wealth, that 25,000 people around the world die every day from very preventable poverty-related causes (that's like 6 9/11s every day), that this current system we live in isn't a real democracy at all but an oligarchy consisting of elite bankers and CEOs buying the power of the government.


I started following this leaderless movement on Facebook almost when they just began congregating in New York back in September of this year and it has been both inspiring and heart wrenching to watch and read about. Unfortunately, so much negative attention has been given to them through the mainstream news media, yet another tool of the wealthy. This is why the internet is such a good thing, because it is free reign to find out other sides of the story and come up with your own conclusions.

Occupy Wall Street is a peaceful, nonviolent movement meant to protest social and economic inequality, high unemployment, greed, debt, corruption, and the influence of corporations over government. Yes, that sounds like an awful lot of things to be complaining about in one protest, but they're all connected because of the problem of money. The protest in New York has expanded to activism all over the world including Spain, Belgium, and Germany, and to many major cities in the United States: Occupy Portland, Los Angeles, Boston, Minneapolis, Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Oakland, and many many more including college campuses across the country.


If you haven't heard much about Occupy Wall Street, then there's a lot of back story to know about before understanding just how important this movement really is. I recommend becoming informed with documentaries as they are probably the quickest and most thorough way to learn about this society and how literally every problem branches from a single source: money.

Resources:

Zeitgeist film series (free online viewing): http://zeitgeistmovie.com/
A step by step breakdown of what is really going on and how to fix these problems over the course of three films. These do go into some conspiracy theories in the earliest film regarding money and war (a very angering and inspiring part of the film), but the rest is very informative about how the economy works and why it isn't working, what could replace this system, and how it's possible to.

Inside Job (rentable on Netflix):
A film about the stock market crash in 2007. It's very slow going, but it shows how this government is more of an oligarchy than a real democracy.

Sicko (rentable on Netflix):
An incredibly revealing film about the current health care system and a very good representation of the inequality of this society and the greed of those in power.

If anyone else has more suggestions that are relevant to the cause, please leave a comment! If you support the movement, spread the word on your own blogs and find out about local activism communities surrounding Occupy Together. We are the 99%!

Good News 109: School is Starting!

Ah, yes, everyone's favorite three-letter phrase...back-to-school. Time to pack up your new backpacks, sharpen your new pencils, and get ready to wake up at six in the morning again...every day! For states such as Florida and California, school is already in session, and if you're already feeling worn out by the classroom, here are four reasons why school is a pretty cool thing to have:

1. You get to see your friends every day! During summer, it can be hard to keep up with people. Vacations, summer camps, and just general laziness tend to get in the way of seeing your friends all the time. But now, no more! Now you know that every day, you have something to look forward to!You, you know, get an education. It's been statistically proven that getting a good education increases your salary when you're older. Plus, it's always good to be knowledgeable of the world around you. You wouldn't want to end up working at McDonald's, not knowing what England was or something. School makes you smarter, and that's always a good thing to be!You get to buy all-new school supplies. At least, I hope you do. I'm sure there are some people who like to reuse their old supplies, but I'm also sure that everyone out there has gotten new stuff at least once. If you have, I'm sure you can attest to the sheer joy of holding a new pre-sharpened pack of pencils, some binders that haven't been drawn all over by your friends when you weren't looking, shiny fresh notebooks all ready for you to doodle in instead of take notes, breathing in the smell of fresh paper and ink. Who wouldn't enjoy that?There are some really awesome teachers out there. You know the ones I'm talking about: the cool ones that let you work with your friends, always assign fun projects to do, and are forgiving if you're entire backpack (including that 50-page essay on guinea pigs you just spent the entire night writing) gets mauled by bears. Now some teachers can be pretty nasty, but at least you know you can catch a break with the awesome ones.
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So, is school starting again good news? I say: yes, yes it is. And if you ever wonder what exactly is the point of learning what the integer exponent of an obtuse polynomial is, just remember this list and remember that yes, school is pretty darn awesome.

Good News 107: The Internet Cinderella Story

Obviously if you've been watching any sort of news since 2000, better known as the digital era, you know that our tiny little world has been going through some big changes due to the web. An entire Pandora's box has opened and spilled into our society, changing the dynamic by which our community has evolved. Of course there are some bad things that come with the mass exchange of data, but there are also some really awesome things that take place.

This brings me to Justin Halpern. At first glance he appears to be your average 29 year old guy living with his parents, however look closer and you'll see that he has a New York Times bestselling book, and has a television show starring William Shatner due out Fall 2010 on CBS. How did all of this happen to such a young guy?

Twitter.

And no people, I kid you not! I remember when I first started following Justin on his twitter page sh*tmydadsays and he had a mere 5oo something followers. As described on his twitter page,

"I'm 29. I live with my 74-year-old dad. He is awesome. I just write down sh*t that he says."

Having a background in screenwriting, he meant for his account to simply be a tool to record all the outrageously funny things his retired dad has said to him over the years without having to worry about them getting lost or deleted. According to Halpern all of the quotes from his dad are essentially verbatim, only changing or omitting words so that they would fit the 140 character limit that Twitter has. As of today sh*tmydadsays has 1,524,276 followers which, mind you, is nothing to sneeze at.

He started his account August 3, 2009 and by mid August he had about 100,000 followers. Two months later came a book deal from Harper Collins, then by November a deal from Warner Bros. for a television show. If that's not what you consider a modern day fairy tale then please, point me in the direction of something more amazing than this!

Looking at Justin Halpern's story you can't help but feel that anything can happen via the internet if you've got the right amount of luck and talent.

Be sure to check out his twitter account here, but be warned there's a good amount of hilarious profanity. Also don't forget to look for his book at your local bookstore, and his TV show on CBS in the fall, both of which are under the title Sh*t My Dad Says.

Now for some gems of wisdom from Justin's dad:

Pick your furniture like you pick a wife: It should make you feel comfortable and look nice, but not so nice that if someone walks past it they want to steal it.
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The worst thing you can be is a liar....Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is liar. Nazi one, liar two.

Have a great day!

Good News 106: Bowling for Bears

A couple weeks ago I paid tribute to selfless CEOs, but now I want to share the story of someone a little bit more like you or me--a girl I know named Jenny Silver.

Jenny may seem like any other normal kid, with one big exception--when she was just 9 years old, she was so moved by the stories of the devestated families affected by Hurricane Katrina she started her own non-profit fundraising corporation called Bowling for Bears. The idea? Have people donate money to go bowling, and have that money go to buying teddy bears for kids in need. The first Bowling for Bears event raised enough money to buy every kid at the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans a teddy bear for the holidays. She's continued the event every year since then, giving teddy bears to needy kids in the Children's Hospital of New Orleans and Philadelphia, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Cooper University Hospital, The Camden Rescue Mission, and several other places in need of some holiday joy.

Jenny has raised thousands of dollars for thousands of bears, recently teaming up with Build-a-Bear Workshop to spread the love even more. At an event, after donating a minimum of $8 (the price of one bear), you can bowl to your heart's content, help yourself to some of the free snacks provided, and bid at a silent auction included baskets from such places as the Adventure Aquarium, the Philadelphia Zoo, Swanky Bubbles, and several professional sports teams. Every year more money is raised and more priceless gifts go to children in need.

Jenny Silver is a true testament to human kindness and selflessness. She's proof that even if you're young, and even if you don't have millions of dollars or endless resources to give away, you can still make a lasting difference on those in need. In fact she was recently made one of the 12 Huggable Heroes of 2009, a program celebrating generosity, volunteerism and leadership, funded by Build-a-Bear.

The upcoming Sixth Annual Bowling for Bears Event, hosted by the Playdrome in Cherry Hill, New Jersey is set to be on December 5th. If you happen to be in the area, be sure to stop by for a day of fun, food, bowling, and a great cause...I know I will!

Good News 105: It’s Really, Really Hot

If you live on land, you know how amazingly hot it is.

This July the heat has been record-breaking all over the U.S., with highs in the 90°s and the triple digits for most of the month. The first heat wave started around the fourth, around 95°F, and ended at the seventh around 102°F. For most of the month it’s been around or above 90°, peaking around 103° on the sixth, 96° on the fourth, and 95° on the sixteenth. High temperatures haven’t dropped below 80° all month in most of the country. The heat wave’s predicted to last well into August.

So what’s the good news? It may be ridiculously hot, but it’s also perfect beach weather, with the temperature near the shore brought down to between 70° and 80° by the sea breeze. You can strap on a bikini (or swimming trunks) and spend the day tanning in perfect comfort. It’s also a great time to spend the day with your family—inside, in the air conditioning, marveling at the obscene heat while playing a board game and sipping the coldest drink you can find. You could spend all day at the pool with your friends, or have a summer barbecue, or simply sit inside and not do yard work. It’s also a great opportunity to see if you really can fry an egg on the sidewalk.

So here’s an idea—instead of complaining about the heat, embrace it! There are still plenty of things you can do even when it’s mind-numbingly hot. Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

Good News 104: Argentina Allows Same-Sex Marriage

On Thursday, Argentina's Senate approved a law that will permit gay couples in the country to wed. The vote was 33 to 27 in favor of the measure. The law will grant gay people the same marital rights as heterosexuals, including adoption and inheritance rights. This makes Argentina the first country in Latin America with such a law. That said, they are certainly not the first country in the world to do so, with Portugal and Iceland already signing in a similar document this year. All three are joining the other countries, mainly in Europe, -- Netherlands ('01), Belgium ('03), Spain ('05), Canada ('05), South Africa ('06), Norway ('09), Sweden ('09) -- that recognize gay marriage.

Passing this, however, only came after a long 15 hours of debate on the Senate floor and weeks of Argentinian president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner fighting a fierce war of words with the Roman Catholic Church who don't support the decision and think it would be creating a “terrible distortion of democracy.”

President of the Argentine Homosexual Community, Cesar Cigliutti, said he predicts Argentina's decision to have a "domino effect" across Latin America.

Personally, I hope it has a "domino effect" into America, too. I fear if we wait too long, we'll be isolated as the only country in the Western Hemisphere that denies and bans this civil right.

The good news is that there is great progress in the world on this issue and there is still more to come!

Good News 103: Selfless CEOs

In today’s world, it’s popular to think of businessmen, tycoons, or CEOs as greedy, selfish gluttons, whose employees are secondhand to their yearly profit. However, there are some who have given up vast amounts of their own money to benefit their workers or charities. For no reason other than generosity, these people have shown true empathy and understanding for the trials in today’s economy.

Real estate entrepreneur Yu Pengnian, at 88 years old, donated his entire fortune of 3.2 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) to a charity named after him. He told reporters, "It will all be for charity; no part of it will be inherited by anyone, no part will be used to do business or for investments.”

The world’s second richest man, Warren Buffett, has announced to the editor of FORTUNE magazine that he has plans to give away 85% of his wealth in July. He says most of it will go to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—a fortune currently worth $44 billion.

The CEO of MEMC Electronic Materials, Ahmad Chatila, has announced he won’t be accepting his $500,000 bonus at the end of 2009. Instead the money will go to the 450 workers being laid off from his company.

Finally, the CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey, cut his salary down to $1 and donated the rest of his pay to an animal welfare nonprofit. He wrote in a letter to employees that he had "reached a place in my life where I no longer want to work for money but simply for the joy of the work itself."

In a world where one CEO costs 311 entry-level workers and gets paid in an hour more than some workers get all year, this is a welcome change. We can look to these people as examples of what we all should be—selfless, and generous. Obviously it helps that they’re all extremely rich, but the idea that they’d be willing to give up so much simply for the sake of generosity is more than admirable, it’s amazing.

Good News 102: U.S. Independence Day

To all fellow Americans reading this, Happy 4th of July! But for anyone else reading this, I hope this gives you an insightful glimpse into the American culture.

Today marks the historic event in which the colonies of the New World officially separated from the British Empire a few centuries ago. This day holds particularly good news this year because despite any continued downturn in the economy, Americans still wish to enjoy themselves. And how do we celebrate? Why, blowing things up and stuffing ourselves silly with food off the grill, of course! There's nothing that says 'America' quite like Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

If seeing people shovel hot dog bun after hot dog bun into their mouths does not appeal to you, surely one of the many other activities taking place across the U.S. will.

For instance, all of the fireworks set to eloquently erupt amidst the early evening and night sky tonight. Depending on where you live or the type of venue you're in, the fantastic sight and booming sounds might be accompanied by a live orchestra. Even so, the dazzling displays are quite beautiful.

Still not your cup of tea? Then why not attend a nice picnic with your family and community? This is especially good for youngsters since usually there are plenty of fun, suitable things to do like taking a pony ride or getting their face painted. Not to mention plenty of good 'ol American cuisine: hamburgers, chips, and Coca-Cola.

Then there are the parades where you might spot Uncle Sam and his doppelganger riding a two-seated bike adorned with flags! Enough said.

(Okay, that is truly bizarre...but amusing nonetheless.)

Once again, Happy Independence Day!

Written by Lizzie

Good News 101: The iPhone 4G

Well, Apple’s done it again. The new iPhone has officially been offered to the masses. I must admit, it’s a rather attractive piece of technology, described as the thinnest smart-phone on the planet along with its all-glass front and stainless steel casing. It features a camera in the front; volume controls and an accessible microSIM tray on the side; a microphone, speaker, and 30pin connector for docking on the back; and a second microphone, a headset input, and a sleep/wake button on the top.

Now, some of these features may sound familiar, but even the old iPhones don’t have a stainless steel band working as part of the antenna system. Steve Jobs (co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple) describes it as a primary structural element of the device. It supports all the wireless capabilities of iPhone 4G holds, including 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and of course other cellular communications.

The iPhone 4G also boasts an impressive 326 pixels per inch—four times the pixel density of the usual LCD display and much denser than anything else in the consumer electronics market. If you’re not sure just how impressive this is, when held at a distance of about a foot, this is a higher resolution than the typical human eye can see.

There’s also the new camera to consider, which has a remarkable 5 megapixels and a backside-illuminated sensor, meant to increase the amount of light captured by the sensor resulting in better photographs. The camera will also record video in HD at 30 frames per second and 720p resolution. You’ll also be able to edit your videos on the phone and share videos on the Internet.

Summary: this is one pretty wicked phone. But it is worth it? Reviews are already in from some major technology sites.

Brian Caulfield, senior editor of Forbes in the Silicon Valley bureau, notes: "It feels solid. Also: the screen resolution makes it very easy to read. Other than that, it works like an iPhone."

Ars Technica comments: "As for speed, the iPhone 4 is fast. It's hard to perceive the differences between an iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS, but it's definitely on the speedy side, on par with the iPad." Gizmodo (who, if we recall, somehow got their hands on a prototype of the iPhone 4 around two months ago) says: "As a person who never really liked the round mound of a back in the 3GS, the sleeker, flatter, squarer design is super welcome. It feels sturdier than the 3GS, and much less plasticky. The metal buttons give it a heftier feel-less of a toy-than all previous generations. The closest analog to it would be the original iPhone, which is more square and heavy than its newer brothers."

Its greatest assets seem to be its speed and thinness, but we’ll just have to see from the proud new owners of the iPhone 4G if it’s really worth it or not.

Written by Strawberry